Ashley previously served as Judicial Clerk to The Honorable E. Norman Veasey, former Chief Justice of the Delaware Supreme Court, and as legislative correspondent to a former member of the US House of Representatives. For more than a decade, Ashley worked in New York City at an international law firm practicing corporate securities litigation.

Ashley is a frequent speaker and author on various corporate governance and securities topics. Additionally, Ashley maintains an active pro bono practice, serving as pro bono general counsel to LiveOn NY, advocating interests of senior centers and agencies.

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• Represented a leading worldwide software and services networking solutions company in connection with post-purchase indemnification claims in Delaware Court of Chancery arising out of stock purchase agreement*
• Represented the directors and officers in stock option backdating cases in Delaware Court of Chancery and Massachusetts US federal district court*
• Represented a corporate plaintiff in derivative litigation in Delaware Court of Chancery arising out of minority stake in a joint venture to manufacture cardio-medical devices*
• Represented a corporate defendant in shareholder challenge for books and records in Delaware Court of Chancery: the action was dismissed after trial and affirmed by the Delaware Supreme Court. Represented the defendant in related federal securities litigation (1934 Act Section 13(d)) in Texas US District Court and US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit*
• Represented a private equity seller of publication business in Delaware Court of Chancery M&A litigation between private equity firms*
• Represented an investment bank in Delaware Bankruptcy Court in an action brought by noteholders seeking millions of dollars in interest payments on their share of US$3 billion in first-lien notes issued to the bankrupt company*
• Represented the outside directors of a leading hair-care company in connection with dismissal of derivative litigation and related Special Litigation Committee investigation involving executive compensation claims and alleged related-party transactions*
• Represented the former directors and officers of a publicly-traded financial services holding company in connection with dismissal of all claims for violations of Sections 14(a) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934*
• Represented a private equity firm as major shareholder in 1933 and 1934 Act federal securities class action litigation: motions to dismiss all claims granted*
• Represented private equity firms in a class action fiduciary duty litigation arising out of multimillion dollar acquisition of prescription drug provider*
• Represented a private equity firm in connection with insider trading allegations brought by the New Zealand Securities Commission concerning sale of public transportation utility*
• Represented the former directors and officers of an international information technology infrastructure company in connection with claims for negligent misrepresentation brought by senior lender*
• Represented a residential REIT in nationwide multi-district class, securities and fiduciary duty litigation and arbitrations related to multibillion dollar REIT take-private merger–one of the biggest REIT mergers in history*
• Represented the outside directors/audit committee members in federal and state securities, derivative and ERISA class actions arising out of highly publicized corporate looting by convicted senior executives. Derivative and ERISA actions were dismissed on motions to dismiss and affirmed on appeal; federal securities action settled with no payment by clients*
• Represented a beauty products manufacturer in a high-profile SDNY federal securities litigation involving allegations that the company made false and misleading statements to inflate sales and earnings: motion to dismiss all claims granted*
• Represented one of largest corporate debtors in US history in a nationwide multi-district derivative and class litigation concerning fiduciary duty and federal securities claims stayed by US Bankruptcy Court and state and federal courts throughout the country*
• Successfully represented a Canadian real estate firm in federal securities litigation (1933 Act and 1934 Act) where US Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed the district court’s grant of motion to dismiss all claims*

*Matter handled prior to joining McDermott.

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US District Court for the District of New York
US District Court for the District of Colorado
US District Court for the District of Massachusetts

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